The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution

The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution

The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution

Tel Aviv University, Yad Vashem

About this course: The Holocaust was an inconceivable historical event, which forever robbed Western culture of its innocence. As civilized human beings, we fail to understand how events of such horror could have taken place, and how an idea so inhumanly warped could have spread like wildfire through an entire continent, instigating the systematic annihilation of millions of Jews.
This free online course was produced jointly by Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. This course is the second of the two courses and covers three themes in its three weeks:
Week 1: The Final Solution
We’ll look at the cultural and mental processes that paved the way to the comprehensive and systematic mass murder of Jews in Europe – that is, the Final Solution. As part of this hard lesson we will discuss the various characteristics of the murder sites and death camps, and reveal selected aspects of the horror that occurred in them.
Week 2: Jewish and Non-Jewish Responses to the Holocaust
We will try to explore questions regarding knowledge about the application of the Final Solution, as well as a variety of responses and annihilation of victims, local populations and perpetrators.
Week 3: The End of the War
We will dedicate this lesson to the events that occurred in the last years of the Holocaust, as well as questions of memory, commemoration and future research.
We strongly recommend that you register for "The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World" as well. Taking both parts of the course would enable you to obtain a fuller and more comprehensive knowledge about The Holocaust.
This online course is offered in an innovative, multi-level format, comprising:
Comprehensive lectures by leading researchers from Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem.
A wealth of voices and viewpoints presented by guest lecturers
Numerous documents, photos, testimonies and works of art from the time of the Holocaust.
Novel learning experience: Crowdsourcing – involving the learners themselves in the act of collecting and shaping information, via unique, exciting online assignments.

The Final Solution and the Drive for Eliminating All Jews and All Perceived Jewish "Influences"

This lesson will be devoted to the cultural and mental processes which paved the way to the comprehensive and systematic mass murder of Jews. We will deal with the specific decision-making process regarding the murder of the entire European Jewry, the implementation of the initial murder, the broadening circle of killing, and the early Jewish reactions to the "Final Solution".

Reading: Christopher Browning, "Initiating the Final Solution: The Fateful Months of September-October 1941"

Video: Killing Sites

Video: Camp Universe

Video: Last Unit

Discussion Prompt: Dehumanization

WEEK 2

Jewish and Non-Jewish Responses to the Holocaust

We will look at a broad spectrum of questions, including: "As Lambs to the Slaughter"? Choiceless choices? Did the world remain silent? Why were Auschwitz and Birkenau not bombed? And more. Discussion of the various issues and frameworks will challenge the existing definitions regarding resistance and rescue, and examine patterns of cooperation with persecutors alongside rebellious acts by Jews and non-Jews alike. As part of this important discussion, we will return to our previous examination of the Jewish leadership and re-evaluate the responses of various Jewish leaders to the annihilation campaign, while pointing out the complexities of the subject matter.

Reading: Alina Skibińska and Jakub Petelewicz, “The Participation of Poles in Crimes against Jews in the Świętokrzyskie Region”

Video: How was it humanly possible?

Discussion Prompt: The Humanity of Human Reactions

Graded: Mid-course quiz

WEEK 3

The Free World, the last months, the Aftermath and the Implications

This lesson will describe the steps taken by Nazi Germany, with the Allied advance across Europe, to increase efforts to exterminate the Jews and to destroy all evidence of their crimes. We will deal with questions of memory and commemoration, examine the significance of the Holocaust for different audiences, and present the latest research in the field of Holocaust studies.

Reading: David Silberklang, " The Allies and the Holocaust: A Reappraisal"

Video: The End: Year 1944

Video: The Anguish of Liberation

Discussion Prompt: Where was the Basic Urge for Revenge?

Reading: David Bankier, "The Germans and The Holocaust: What Did They Know?"

Video: Memory, commemoration and long term effects

Discussion Prompt: The Holocaust in our Daily Lives

Video: Holocaust research - what is still unknown + facing the future

Video: The Holocaust - An Introduction

Discussion Prompt: End of Course Discussion

Graded: What have you learnt in this course?

FAQs

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Creators

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University (TAU) is Israel's largest institution of higher learning – with over 30,000 students and more than 125 schools and departments in nine faculties. Global in outlook and impact, it is consistently ranked among the world's top 100 universities, as well as the top 20 institutions in terms of scientific citations. A spirit of openness and innovation is evident in all of TAU's teaching and research activities, breaking down barriers between disciplines, and boldly striving to address the twenty-first century's most pressing challenges.

Yad Vashem

Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust remembrance center, stands resolute in its dedication to Holocaust education, remembrance, documentation and research. Located on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem continues to develop advanced educational tools and utilize cutting-edge technology in order to bring its world-class research facilities, flourishing archives, groundbreaking educational initiatives and steadfast commitment to Shoah remembrance to an ever-growing global audience.

Ratings and Reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 of 194 ratings

AP

I highly recommend this course for anyone wishing to have a better introductory understanding of the Holocaust. The resources, video, lectures, and readings are very well planned and thoughtful. The mini-quizzes within the video's are helpful in focus on the topics. The weekly short quizzes helped with putting the event into historical context.

Simply put, one of the very best courses I have ever taken on Coursera - moving, thoroughly researched and a most teaching experience. A must do.

JR

During the course, I was engaged, and only sleep made me stop. The organization of the two sections provided a continuing saga. I was somewhat familiar with some of the activities and attitudes explained in the course. This course, and the various speakers, made clear the magnitude and horror of the Holocaust. 20 years ago, I toured the museum in Washington, DC and was horrified with that presentation. This course wants me to do more research into my heritage, and my wifes' heritage.